Folding bed.



S. NIELSEN.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION HLED MAY 23.1914. I 1,146,898 Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0,,WAsluNc'roN, u. c.

S. NIELSEN.

FOLDING BED.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23.1914.

1,,M6,898. Patented July 20, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH 60., WASHINGTON. D. cv

FFlQE.

. SOREN NIELSEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FOLDING BED.

Application filed May 23, 1914.

1 b all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SonEN NmLsnN, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful lmprovementsin Folding Beds, of which the following is a specification.

lily invention relates to folding beds and more specifically to that class thereof generally known as wall beds by reason of the fact that, when the bed is not in use, the same is adapted tobe folded to position in a chamber or compartment provided in a wall.

'lhe object of my inventionis the production of a bed ofthe character mentioned in which the bed proper will be so connected with the folding mechanism that, when the bed is in use, the same may be completely detached or disconnected from said folding mechanism.

A further object is the production of a folding bed as mentioned which will be of simple construction, one which may be readily and easily folded and unfolded, and one which will be eflicient in use.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

lVith these objects in view my invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, andin which Figure 1 is a front elevation ofthe wall chamber in which the bed is adapted to be folded, Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the doors of the chamber removed so as to expose underlying parts, Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line wm of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, with the bed rocked downwardly to operative position, and Fig. 5 is a fragmental section illustrating he mechanism whereby the counter balance weight is automatically unlocked upon the movement of the bed into operative relation with said weight.

The preferred form of construction as illustrated in the drawings comprises a bed consisting of a frame 1 rigidly connected at its endsto a head 2 and foot 3. supported by legs 4 equipped at their lower ends with casters 5 to permit of ready movement of the bed upon the floor.

The bed, when not in use, is adapted to be folded to position within achamber 6 pro- Specification of LettersPatent.

Said bed is ]Patentcd July 2%, 1915.

Serial No. 840,449.

vided in the wall of the room in which the bed is arranged, said chamber being open at its front side and provided with suitable hinged doors 6. Arranged at the bottom of the chamber 6 is an elongated counter bal ance weight 7. The respective ends of the weight 7 are fixed by means of screws 7 to the free ends of arms 8 which are fulcrumcd at 9 to brackets 10 which arise from the floor of said chamber. The counter balance weight is so mounted, as will be seen, as to permit of free swinging thereof in a vertical plane, the same being supported in elevated position, as shown in Fi g. 4:, by means of a supporting member 12 which is pivotally secured as at 11 at its lower end to the bottom or floor of chamber 6. Extending forwardly from the base of member 12 is a counter balance arm 13 which serves simply as a means of normally holding the member 12 in ver tical position. Support 12, when in operative position, is adapted to engage against the under side of the weight 7, a depending flange 14 being provided at the rearward edge of said weight in order to prevent accidental disengagement of said support from said weight.

Arranged at the upper end of each bracket 10 at the pivotal point 9 is a roller 15 and carried by each of the arms 8 at the upper edge thereof and intermediate the ends of the arm is a roller 16. Provided at opposite sides of the bed body 1 adjacent one end of the latter are outwardly projecting flanges 17. The flanges 17 are so positioned that, when the bed, with the weight 7 in its elevated position, is moved into chamber 6 to position between the arms 8, said flanges will engage between the rollers 15 and 16. the

rollers 15 engaging against the under sides of said flanges, whereas the rollers 16 engage against the upper sides of said flanges, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. This being so, when weight 7 is released, the same through the medium of the rollers 16, will exert such a downward force or pressure upon the flanges 17 as to cause the bed. to be swung to vertical position as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In this swinging of the bed the rollers 15 serve simply as fulcrums about which the bed swings in its folding movement as will be readily understood.

In order to eflect release of the weight 7 as mentioned, the rearward end portions of the flanges 17 are inclined downwardly so that in the movement of the bed into operative relation with the folding mechanism, the rollers 15, as the bed approaches the terminal of its movement toward the folding mechanism, will ride upon the inclined portions of said flanges causing the adjacent end of the bed to be elevated as clearly shown in Fig. 5; This elevation of the end of the bed causes the weight 7 to be correspondingly elevated by reason of the engagement of the innerends of said flanges with the rollers 16. The elevation of the weight 7 is suflicient to move the flange 14 thereof from operative relation with the upper end of the supporting member 12 so as to permit of rearward rocking of said end of said support to inoperative or releasing position. This rocking of said end of said supporting member is secured through the medium of a finger 18 which is slidably mounted at the under side of the weight 7 in a guide strap 19. The forward end of the finger 18, when the weight is in elevated position, is so positioned that, upon inward movement of the bed into operative relationwith the folding mechanism, a bar 20 provided at the inner end of said bed will engage against said forward end of said finger and cause the latter to be slid rearwardly so that the opposite end of said finger will contact with the upper end of the support ing member 12 and cause the latter to be rocked to inoperative or releasing position relative to the weight 7 as clearly shown in Fig. 5. With this arrangement then it will be seen that in the movement of the bed to operative relation with the folding mechanism the elevation of the weight 7 will. be first effected, whereupon the' sup porting member 12 will be automatically rocked to inoperative or releasing position, permitting said weight to swing clownwardly by gravity to cause folding of the bed to vertical position in the chamber 6 as shown.

In order to economize in the space occupied by the bed when in folded position in the chamber 6, the legs 4 of said bed are pivotally or foldably connected at 21 with the lower ends of the posts of head and foot members 2 and 3 of the bed body. Said legs are so mounted as to be adapted to be swung inwardly to positions extending substantially parallel with the bottom of the bed as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Legs at the same end of the bed are connected by a transversely extending rod Cooperating with the rods 22 is a bar 23 which is pivotally connected medially of its ends as at 24- to a cross bar 25 rigidly secured at the under side of the bed body 1. The respective ends of the bar 23 are s l-idably connected by means of pins 26 with the rods 22, the arrangement being such that, when the member 23 is in longitudinally extending position, relative to the bed, the legs 4 will be locked thereby in operative position. Upon rocking of said bar 23 to obliquely disposed position, as shown in Fig. 2, the legs 4: will be rocked thereby to folded position. The bar 23 is readily operated by hand so as to permit of ready folding of the legs when the bed is folded to position in the chamber 6 or unfolding of said legs preparatory to unfolding of the bed for use. A stop 27 provided on one of the rods 22 cooperates with the corresponding end of the bar 23 to limit inward movement thereof in rocking said bar to longitudinally extending position relative tothe bed. The arrangement is such,- as will be seen, that when the bed is rocked to horizontal position for use, the same may be moved outwardly from engagen'i-ent with the folding mechanism so as to permit of the bed being positioned anywhere in the room desired-.- in folding the bed to inoperative position the connec: tion thereof with the folding mechanism is automatically established by simply moving the bed horizontally to position between the arms 8 of the folding mecl'ian'ism.

lVhile I have illustrated and described the preferred formof construction for carryin'g my invention into effect,- this is capable of variation and modificationwithoutdeparting from-thespirit of theinvention. I, therefore, do not wish tobe limited to the precise details of constructionset forth, but desire to avail nryselfof such" variations and i'nodifications as comewithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of a counter balance weight mounted for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, said weight being adapted normally to assume a position at its lower terminal of movement; means for releasably supporting said weight in elevated position, disengagement of said supporting means from said weight being permitted only upon elevation of said weight; a bed independent of said weight adapted, when said weight is in elevated position, to be moved into operative'rela tion with said weight; means for operatively connecting said bed and weight, when said bed is moved into operative relation with. said weight,- said means comprising flanges on said bed; means on said weight adapted to engage with said flanges whereby, when said weight is released, said bed will be swung by said weight to vertical position; said means on .said weight in engaging with sald flanges being adapted to elevate said weight out of engagement with said weight supporting member; and means for automatically moving. said weight supporting member from operative relation with said weight-after said elevation of the latter fromqengagement with said weight supporting member, substantially as described.

2. lhe combination of a counter balance weight mounted for swinging movement in a vertical plane, said weight being adapted normally to assume a position at its lower terminal of movement; means for releasably supporting said weight in elevated position, disengagement of said supporting means from said weight being permitted only upon elevation of said weight; a bed independent of said weight adapted, when said weight is in elevated position, to be moved into operative relation with said weight; means for operatively connecting said bed and weight, when said bed is moved into operative relation with said weight, said means comprising flanges on said bed; rollers cooperating with said weight adapted to engage with said flanges at opposite sides thereof whereby, when said weight is released, said bed will be moved by said weight to vertical position, said rollers in engaging with said flanges being adapted to elevate said weight out of en agement with said weight supporting member; and means for automatically moving said supporting member from operative relation with said weight after said elevation of the latter from engagement with said weight supporting member, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a counter balance weight mounted for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, said weight being adapted normally to assume a position at its lower terminal of movement; means for releasably supporting said weight in elevated position, disengagement of said supporting means from said weight being permitted only upon elevation of said weight; a bed independent of said weight adapted, when said weight is in elevated position, to be moved into operative relation with said weight; means for operatively connecting said bed and weight, when said bed is moved into operative relation with said weight, said means comprising flanges on said bed; means on said weight adapted to engage with said flanges whereby, when said weight is released, said bed will be swung by said weight to vertical position, said flanges being inclined whereby, when the same are moved into contact with said engaging means, the inner end of the bed will be moved vertically to cause slight elevation of said weight from engagement with said weight supporting member; means for moving said supporting member from operative relation with said weight after said elevation of the latter from engagement with said weight supporting member, substantially as described.

4. The combination of a substantially U- shaped counter balance weight pivotally mounted at its ends so as to permit of swinging of said weight in a vertical plane; means engaging with the under side of said weight for supporting said weight in elevated position; a bed independent of said weight but adapted, when said weight is in elevated position, to be moved into operative relation with said weight; means for operatively connecting said bed and weight, when said parts are in operative relation, so that when said weight is released, the same will exert a force upon said bed tending to swing the latter to vertical position; and means for slightly elevating said weight from engagement with said supporting means and means for subsequently moving said supporting means to releasing position, when said bed is moved into operative relation with said weight, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a counter-balance weight mounted for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, said weight being normally adapted to assume a position at its lower terminal of movement; a supporting element pivotally mounted at its lower end so as to permit of the upper end of said element engaging under said weight to hold the latter in elevated position; a depending shoulder on said weight to prevent accidental disengagement of said support from said weight, movement of said support to releasingposition being permitted only upon elevation of said weight to afiord clearance for said support relative to said shoulder; abed independent of said weight but adapted, when said weight is in elevated position, to be moved into operative relation with said weight; means for operatively connecting said bed and weight, when said parts are in operative relation so that, when said weight is released, the same will exert a force upon said bed tending to swing the latter to vertical position; and means for elevating said weight and means for subsequently moving said supporting means to releasing position, when said bed is moved into operative relation with said weight, substantially as described.

6.. The combination of a counter-balance weight mounted for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, said weight being adapted normally to assume a position at its lower terminal of movement; a supporting element pivotally mounted at its lower end so as to permit of the upper end of said element engaging under said weight to hold the latter in elevated position; a depending shoulder on said weight to prevent accidental disengagement of said support from said weight, movement of said support to releasing position being permitted only upon elevation of said weight to afford clearance for said support relative to said shoulder; a bed independent of said weight but adapted, when said weight is in elevated position. to be moved into operative relation with said weight; means for operatively connecting said bed and weight, when said parts are in operative relation, said last mentioned means comprising flanges on said bed; rollers cotiperating with said weight adapted to engage with said flanges at opposite sides thereof whereby, when said weight is re leased,.said bed will be moved by said weight to vertical position, said rollers-in engaging with said flanges being adapted to elevate said weight out of engagement with said supporting element; and means for automatically moving said supporting member from operative relation with said weight after said elevation of the latter from engagement with said weight supporting member, substantially as described.

' 7. The combination of a counter-balance weight mounted for pivotal movement in a vertical plane, said weight being adapted normally to assume a position at its lower terminal of movement; a supporting element pivotally mounted at its lower end so as to permit of the upper end of said element engaging under said weight to hold the latter in elevated position; a depending shoulder on said weight to preventaccidental disengagement of said support from said weight, movement of said support to releasing position being permitted only upon elevation of said weight to afford clearance for said sup port relative to said shoulder; a bed independent of said weight but adapted, when said weight is in elevated position, to be moved into operative relation with said weight; means for operatively connecting said bed and weight, when said parts are in crs cooperating with said weight adapted to engage with said flanges at opposite sides thereof whereby, when said weight is released, said bed will be moved by said weight to vertical position, said rollers in engaging with said flanges being adapted to elevate said weight out of engagement with said supporting element; and a slidably mounted trigger on said weight adapted to be actuated by said bed to move said supporting member from operative relation with said weight after said elevation of the latter from engagement with said weight supporting member, substantially as described.

8. A bed comprising a frame having foldabl'e legs; a bar pivotally secured intermediate its ends to a stationary part of the bed and having its ends operatively connected with said legs whereby, when said bar is disposed longitudinally of said bed, said legs will be held 1n operative position, and", when said" bar is rocked to an obliquely disposed position, said legs will beswung to folded position, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

SOREN NIELSEN. Witnesses ARTHUR A. OLsoN, JosnUA R. H. Po'rrs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

